INXS: 1977-2012

Yesterday, INXS announced that the band are calling it quits after 35 years together.

I have a soft spot for the group (I own all their records, so that must mean something).  Like snapshots in time, I have lots of memories I can associate with INXS records.  When I moved to France in 1992, my soundtrack of choice during taxi and takeoff was the band's newly released Welcome To Wherever You Are, forgoing any grunge group of the day, for something I felt was more...erm...European (I know where they're from, stop yelling at your computer screen).  Sadly, I can still remember who I was with (my friend Sarah) and where I was (one of the many bars at Carleton University) when I found out their original lead singer, Michael Hutchence, was found dead in 1997.  Sure, by that point in time, INXS were no longer the band of choice, their career in decline (sales wise).  While Hutchence's death wasn't the cataclysmic cultural event that Kurt Cobain's suicide was three years earlier, it certainly was shocking nonetheless.

I was, as were a lot of INXS fans, angry that the band would attempt to find a new lead singer via a "reality" television show.  I didn't watch Rockstar: INXS.  I flat out refused, but I did casually follow the developments that lead to J.D. Fortune (a Canadian!) being chosen.  I even went to see them live on the subsequent tour in support of Switch.

I could go on, as the more I think about it, INXS had a larger musical effect on my life than I might have originally anticipated.  So, in honour of their calling it a day, here are some of my favourite INXS tracks.  Enjoy, complete with some very...interesting videos.

"Don't Change"



"Elegantly Wasted"



"Pretty Vegas"



"Never Tear Us Apart"



"Devil Inside"



Thanks for reading!

Concert Review: Noel Gallagher Shows How It's Done

On Thursday evening I headed to Vancouver's Rogers Arena to see a co-headlining tour featuring Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and Snow Patrol with newcomer Jake Bugg opening the festivities.

I'll be honest, I'm not a huge Snow Patrol fan.  If you read this blog on a regular basis (or even if you don't, but you should), you will probably have realized that I'm a pretty big Noel Gallagher (and Oasis) fan.  The opportunity to see him perform wasn't going to be missed, even if I had to sit through a Snow Patrol set.

Arriving early, I arrived at my seat to see that only half of the arena was being used.  Nottingham's Jake Bugg arrived on stage with just an acoustic guitar and proceeded to play a half hour set drawing from his recently released debut album.  Bugg's voice is a nasally combination of The Verve's Richard Ashcroft and Bob Dylan and his songs seem to be country tinged rockabilly put through a British filter.

Noel Gallagher is no stranger to stadiums and arenas.  He may be a stranger to sparsely attended shows though.  I've been to my fair share of poorly attended concerts (sadly, mostly as the entertainment, not the spectator), but this was atrocious!  Gallagher, along with his top notch band were unfazed and did not disappoint with a set filled with songs from last years High Flying Birds album and heavily peppered with Oasis hits and b-sides.

The Gallagher brothers have taken a lot of flack over the years for being the so-called "bad boys" of the Britpop scene.  While Liam Gallagher seems to genuinely think he is king, Noel is much more self depricating (although not done in the conventional way).  What many, especially in North America, seem to miss in the dry British delivery, is the sarcasm and cheekiness inherent in most things he says.  Case in point, a fan in the front row, who was apparently celebrating his birthday, managed to get Gallagher's attention and was promptly told "I don't give a fuck.  It's not my birthday".  A couple of songs later, noticing that the birthday boy was being prematurely escorted out, he jeered "You're getting thrown out?  For talking to me?  Fucking right you are".  While I laughed, others yelled for Gallagher to get off.  They were in the minority.

While my initial guess that Snow Patrol were on last given that they had the biggest draw may have have been slightly off.  By the time they took the stage the arena felt hollow.  While many Noel Gallagher supporters had upped and left before Snow Patrol started, I decided to tough it out (mainly so my wife could get to hear 'Chasing Cars' and 'Crack The Shutters').  Frontman Gary Lightbody tried (and failed) to elicit any reaction from the remaining crowd.  From my vantage point, it seemed like they were trying too hard to impress.  Maybe it was because they were following "the legend" (Lightbody's own words) Noel Gallagher.  That, combined with the ear-splittingly poor mix (everything seemed to go up  20db after NG), made for an early exit.  Truth of the matter is that Snow Patrol only stuck around for two more songs after I left.  Better to cut your loses and regroup.

Who The F#%k Are: Red Kite

I love surfing the internet.  While I will admit, that I have squandered many hours with no definitive end result, there are a lot of times that while roaming I will uncover a real gem of a find.  Tonight was a pretty low-key night.  I was in the midst of reading Rue Brittania (yes, I like the occasional comic) when one thing led to another and I stumbled upon a great band named Red Kite.

Led by former The Cooper Temple Clause guitarist Daniel Fisher, Red Kite are a sextet from London, England.  As of this writing, their output has been minimal but definitely subscribes to quality over quantity.  They have self-released two songs on Bandcamp ('Montreal' and 'No Painter Of Note') and one other on their Soundcloud page ('The Gathering Storm').  Check them out below.  Score another one for the internet.







To find out more about Red Kite, check them out at redkiteband.blogspot.co.uk

Thanks for reading!

The Road To Understanding The 2nd Law

Certain bands and albums don't have the immediate impact (or any) that they ultimately end up having in the long run.  They are what are commonly refered to as "growers".  Muse's latest album,  The 2nd Law, was just that for your truly.

Leading up to the album's September release, Muse had released a teaser ('Unsustainable') and a full song that was the official song of the London Olympics ('Survival') and finally an "official" first single ('Madness').  Nothing seemed to elicit much of reaction.  Well, that's not entirely true.  Upon hearing 'Unsustainable' I was pretty sure Muse (who are a band constantly pushing the boundaries of rock music) had gone too far and were simply attempting to jump on a trend (dubstep) and ride its coattails under the guise of being innovative.

Of course, being a big fan of Muse I thought it unfair to write them off without giving the album a fair chance.  I listened to it a few times, and was unmoved.  Had Muse jumped the shark?  Was I being overly critical?  Perhaps all the hype had made me, as my wife likes to call me, a music snob.  Gasp!

Then I was speaking to a friend who loved the record and suggested I check out Muse's recent iTunes Festival performance on Youtube.  He went on to explain that if I heard the songs in the live realm, I just might "get" the record.   Well, wouldn't you know, a week later, I can't stop listening to The 2nd Law.  It's on repeat; in the car on the way to work, at work, in the evening.  That's the sign of a truly exceptional album.

Of course, buying tickets to their upcoming tour didn't hurt matters.  I missed them on the Resistance tour and was not going to let the opportunity slip through my fingers again.  Watching, the iTunes Festival performance definitely did help break down the..."whatever" barrier that had built up around this record.  When you hear the new material side by side with the Muse back catalogue, it illustrates that no matter which new direction the band (or any band for that matter) goes in, it still ends up sounding like Muse.  But 'Survival' has some truly primary lyrics though.  But I digress.

Check out the performance for yourself below.



Thanks for reading!

Julian Plenti Is... Paul Banks

Tonight, I'm absorbing the new solo album by Interpol's Paul Banks, simply titled Banks.  I'll admit, I was sort of half expecting the worst.  I'm pleasantly surprised.  The reason for my skepticism is due in part to the unattainable height that Interpol's debut Turn On The Bright Lights set the bar at.  There are times during Banks where I think to myself "this could be an Interpol song" and other times when it seems perfectly justified to be a solo project.  Having discarded the nom de plume/alter-ego that was Julian Plenti seems to have liberated Banks.  Check out the first single 'The Base' below.  Banks is released October 23nd via Matador Records.





In other Interpol news, the band are prepping for the anniversary edition of the aforementioned debut.  Yes, as old as it makes me feel, Turn On The Bright Lights is a decade old.  The album gets the full reissue treatment on November 19th, also through Matador.



Thanks for reading!

The Joy Formidable Preview Another Track From Album Number Two

The Joy Formidable have released yet another track from their forthcoming sophomore effort Wolf's Law.  The track, entitled 'This Ladder Is Ours' (which you can hear below) is classic (too soon?) TJF.  

Last month the Welsh trio unveiled the first single 'Cholla'.  In August, the haunting title track was the first teaser, which initially had some fans (yours truly included) thinking the band was taking a hard one-eighty.  

Wolf's Law drops on January 21st, 2013.





Thanks for reading! 

Morrissey Almost Smiles On Colbert

Did you happen to catch Morrissey on The Colbert Report last night?  The former Smiths frontman performed the as yet unreleased song 'People Are The Same Everywhere'.  Watching the interview portion, I couldn't help but think that Morrissey has no sense of humour at all.  Ziltch!  Colbert is asking rather ridiculous questions (as is his schtick), but I half expected Morrissey to play along.  Well, maybe not.  Wait, was that almost a smile?  Check out the clips below.





Thanks for reading!

Coldplay - "Hurts Like Heaven" Video

Coldplay's latest video from 2011's Mylo Xyloto is for the fifth single 'Hurts Like Heaven'.  Think of it as a video teaser for their soon to be released Mylo Xyloto comic book.  Check it out below.



Coldplay are also set to release a tour documentary/live concert DVD on November 19th.  You can watch the trailer below.

Time Flies

Everyone has a record that changed their lives (or at least they should).  For yours truly, it was Oasis' (What's The Story) Morning Glory?  From the opening chords of 'Hello' to the last note of mellotron on 'Champagne Supernova', I was enthralled.  It was my gateway drug to everything and anything Britpop (of course, those were the days before the internet, as mentioned here, so some things were easier to find than others).



Seventeen years have passed since (What's The Story) Morning Glory? was released on October 2nd, 1995.  At the time, I was lost in a post-grunge musical landscape that had all sorts of Nirvana clones and watered down alternative bands, none of whom really grabbed me.  All that changed once I unwrapped the cellophane from the packaging and put the disc in my CD player (gasp! a CD! I'm old).



Of course, this wasn't my introduction to Oasis.  I already owned their spectacular debut Definitely Maybe (I feel a kindred connection to that record, as it was released on my 17th birthday, but I digress), but there was something about WTSMG.  It just...clicked.  It was as if these songs were written specifically for me, for what I was going through, with what I was feeling (or not feeling).  Noel Gallagher has often taken a lot of flack for his "uninspired" lyrical content.  I would wholeheartedly disagree.  I find a lot of meaning in "slowly walking down the hall, faster than a cannonball" even if some would argue it's just gibberish.



I've just gone back, as I often do on a record's release anniversary, to listen to WTSMG again.  It holds up remarkably well after all these years.  A definite classic and a must have for anyone who came of age in the 90s.  Now, about that reunion in 2015...

But seriously, where were you while we were getting high?  Thanks for reading!

Delicious Indeed

Following in the long line of great bands from Birmingham, England, such as Duran Duran, The Beat, Ocean Colour Scene and Editors come a new quartet simply called Peace.  My first thought upon hearing 'Bloodshake', from their recently released (in the UK) four song EP Delicious, was that it was a decent song that showed promise, but a bit too Two Door Cinema Club for my liking (although it has grown on me with repeated listens).

Then, 'California Daze' shows up to knock me square on my ass and leave me constantly hitting the repeat button.  Starting off subdued and gradually building to include Beach Boys-esque oooh and ahhh harmonies and a ripping solo, this is the perfect lazy summer day anthem that just happens to arrive as the days get shorter.  Brilliant stuff!



Before signing with Columbia Records, Peace released a very limited (only 500 copies) 7" single entitled 'Follow Baby' which I also like quite a lot.



Good things are coming.  Thanks for reading!

One For Every Year

As another birthday has come and gone, I had the crazy, ridiculous idea to try to pick one of my favourite songs from each year of my life.  Yup, one for every year (what? it's just a number).  Keep in mind, this is one of my favourite songs that was released in that particular calendar year, and is in no way a reflection of what I was actually listening to.  I mean, I have no recollection what I was listening to as a toddler (knowing my mom though, it was probably Supertramp's Breakfast In America, but I digress).  Here goes...

1977 - Fleetwood Mac / 'Go Your Own Way'
1978 - The Police / 'Can't Stand Losing You'
1979 - The Clash / 'Rudie Can't Fail'
1980 - The Cure / 'A Forest' (eerily, this song came on on my iTunes shuffle as I was pondering this particular year, so it gets the nod)
1981 - The Specials / 'Ghost Town'
1982 - Tears For Fears / 'Mad World'
1983 - David Bowie / 'Let's Dance'
1984 - Echo & The Bunnymen - 'The Killing Moon'
1985 - Simple Minds / 'Don't You (Forget About Me)'
1986 - Pet Shop Boys / 'West End Girls'
1987 - The Smiths / 'Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before'
1988 - INXS / 'Devil Inside'
1989 - The Stone Roses / 'She Bangs The Drums'
1990 - Depeche Mode / 'Enjoy The Silence'
1991 - U2 / 'The Fly'
1992 - Nirvana / 'Sliver' (the re-release obviously)
1993 - Suede / 'Animal Nitrate'
1994 - Blur / 'Tracy Jacks'
1995 - Pulp / 'Sorted For E's And Whizz'
1996 - The Chemical Brothers / 'Setting Sun'
1997 - Foo Fighters / 'Everlong'
1998 - Massive Attack / 'Protection'
1999 - Stereophonics / 'Pick A Part That's New'
2000 - Oasis / 'Go Let It Out'
2001 - Travis / 'Side'
2002 - Doves / 'Caught By The River'
2003 - Muse / 'Hysteria'
2004 - The Killers / 'Somebody Told Me'
2005 - Bloc Party / 'Banquet'
2006 - Kasabian / 'Me Plus One'
2007 - Arctic Monkeys - 'Fluorescent Adolescent'
2008 - The Verve / 'Love Is Noise'
2009 - Lily Allen / 'The Fear'
2010 - Gorillaz / 'White Flag'
2011 - The Joy Formidable / 'The Greatest Light Is The Greatest Shade'

Wow, that was harder than I expected, mainly because, it's hard to narrow it down to one song.  In the end I, more often than not, went with the first one that came to mind.

Thanks for reading!

Be There Then

Today is my birthday.  Fifteen years ago on this very day, while most of the western world was glued to their television sets in disbelief at the untimely death of Princess Diana, I was locked away in my room celebrating the arrival of my twenties (or perhaps I was mourning the end of my teens) and blaring the hotly anticipated third album from Oasis, Be Here Now, which I had received as a birthday gift.

It's predecessor, 1995's (What's The Story) Morning Glory?, is arguably a classic record (it definitely is for me).  Be Here Now is a bloated mammoth (see 'Magic Pie') that has not aged as well, or well at all, but it does contain some of my favourite "loud" Oasis songs, which isn't a stretch as it is, by far, the loudest album in the Oasis catalogue (even the ballads have a ridiculous amount of guitar tracks on them).  So I present to you, my favourites from an album that holds a very sentimental place in my being.

'D'You Know What I Mean?'



'My Big Mouth'



'Be Here Now'



'Stand By Me'



It's going to be a loud birthday.  Thanks for reading!

Play Time!

TOY are preparing to release their eponymous debut LP on September 10th via Heavenly Recordings and things are starting to heat up in the TOY camp.  Just yesterday, the video for the albums third proper single 'Lose My Way' was released.  It's a sparse one camera shot with the band's silhouettes back lit by flashbulbs, fireworks and other psychedelic visuals.  The single sees a UK release on September 3rd and features fan favourite 'Bright White Shimmering Sun' (I still can't believe this song isn't on the album) as the b-side.  While 'Lose My Way' is not as strong as previous singles 'Left Myself Behind' and 'Motoring', it is still a worthy candidate.





In other TOY news, the band recently released a limited edition 12" vinyl of album track 'Dead & Gone' which features an Andrew Weatherall remix on the b-side.  Surprisingly, it is still available for purchase here.  Sure, the track could've been edited down from its colossal 8 minute running time, but that's not how TOY operate.  Plus, where's the fun in that?



Here's the track list for TOY's debut LP which was recorded during the spring of 2012 with Dan Carey at his South London studio.

1. Colour’s Running Out
2. The Reasons Why
3. Dead & Gone
4. Lose My Way
5. Drifting Deeper
6. Motoring
7. My Heart Skips A Beat
8. Strange
9. Make It Mine
10. Walk Up To Me
11. Kopter

Thanks for reading!

Hungry Like The Wolf

Welsh trio, The Joy Formidable, who released one of my favourite albums of 2011, The Big Roar, are back with a new single.  Or is it just a sample of what's to come from their eagerly awaited follow up?

In any event, the song is entitled 'Wolf's Law' and is a piano driven track soaked in melancholia.  While the song lacks The Big Roars wall of effects-laden guitars, it still builds to a triumphant apex.  If this is the direction TJF are moving towards for album number two, I'm more than willing to tag along for the ride.  The forthcoming album is scheduled for release in January 2013.  Check out the video for the song below which was directed by Cat Botibol.  



Thanks for reading!

Album Review: SWEETHEART - XOXOX

Released: August 7, 2012         
Label: Porterhouse Records

Known for their frenetic live shows, where it's not uncommon for a large majority of the audience to be up partying with the band onstage, Vancouver's Sweetheart has brought the energy of their gigs into the studio and bottled it for mass consumption.  Their new XOXOX EP is, in a word, a barnburner.

It's been five years since they released their debut full-length Map Of The Human Heart.  A gap of that description is a long time for an independent band and can be disastrous.  Not for Sweetheart.  They reintroduce themselves with the gut punch that is 'Perfect'.  If you were to look up the definition of power-pop in the dictionary, it would should be this song.  It rocks your face off and doesn't overstay it's welcome (not even close).

With the Thin White Duke celebrating his 65th birthday earlier this year, it's fitting that the next track is called 'David Bowie Is Dead'.  Of course he's not, he's only semi-retired.  Despite its cryptic title, the song is a near perfect party anthem.  CanRock heroes Treble Charger would be proud.

The songs continue in a high octane vein but seem to employ more of the sad lyrics/happy music dichotomy made famous by Morrissey and The Smiths.  The chorus of 'London Girl' might be the only exception to this rule.  "We're gonna dance all day, 'til you feel alright" isn't exactly downtrodden.  Album closer 'Less Conversation' finds vocalist Marty Zylstra spitting venom over raucous power chords and synths.

Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable listen (and a great gym soundtrack).  The songs are expertly crafted and the production and recording is top notch (I wouldn't expect anything less when Stuart McKillop is involved).  Here's hoping for a more prolific future.

Who The F#@k Is: Eugene McGuinness

Eugene McGuinness may not be a household name on these shores, but that doesn't mean he's not making some of the coolest music and videos around.


Originally, he was contemplating a fine arts career before he decided to relocate to Liverpool from London to become a musician instead.  His first release, an EP entitled The Early Learnings of Eugene McGuinness, came in 2007 with an eponymous debut full length arriving the following year.  In 2009, he formed Eugene + The Lizards with his brother.  So far they have released one album, Glue.
McGuinness' highly anticipated second record The Invitation To The Voyage was recorded in between  playing live and recording with Miles Kane.  The NME recently gave the record an 8 out of 10 and stated "if he carries on like this, he'll be MASSIVE".

The Invitation To The Voyage was released on August 6th on Domino Records in the UK.  As of this writing, there is no North American release date set.







Thanks for reading!

Getting Blurry: Ten Favourites from Blur

Blur performed at London's Hyde Park as part of the Olympic closing ceremonies last night in what may or may not be their last ever show together, so I thought it would be a good time to hunker down and pick my ten favourite songs by the Britpop legends.  While I've seen a few "Blur's Best Songs" lists in recent weeks, I'm going to steer clear of that debate as it would be virtually impossible for me to rate their immense body of work and distill it down to a mere 10 or 20 or even 50 best songs (especially in light of the recent Blur21 box set being released which features a plethora of unreleased music).  No, these are strictly ten songs that resonate with me the most, in no particular order.  So without further ado...

'Tracy Jacks' (from Parklife - 1994)

Parklife blew the doors off the mainstream and transformed Blur from indie hopefuls into bonafide superstars.  'Tracy Jacks' grabbed my attention straightaway and has long been my favourite song on the album and is probably (on nine out of ten days) my favourite song in their entire discography.  It's bounciness (from all instruments) coupled with its witty, narrative style lyrics, just does it for me.



'She's So High' (from Leisure - 1991)

Blur's debut album, Leisure, takes a lot of criticism as being the weakest of their seven studio albums.  As you will see as you scroll through this list, I don't feel that way.  Yes, it does have weak songs, but so do most of their albums (Parklife excluded).  'She's So High' was apparently written at the very first rehearsal after the four members got together.  Not too bad.  Sure, Blur sounded a lot like what they were influenced by at the time, but what band's debut album isn't that way?  Alex James' elastic bass line combined with Damon Albarn's dreamy vocal delivery (that's dreamy sounding, not dreamy in an infatuated sort of way) made this an instant favourite and I was definitely hooked once Graham Coxon's backwards guitar solo shows up.  Psychedelic!



'Bang' (from Leisure - 1991)

'Bang' was the third and final single from their debut.  The band no longer look at it with any favour and state that it was written merely for the benefit of their record label who were looking for more "single" type material.  I was hooked right off the bat by it's catchy guitar intro and Madchester-like drums, but it's the chorus that really does it for me.  "I don't need anyone, but a little love would make things better" is a phrase I'm sure every early twenty-something can relate to (and even some who aren't in their early 20s).



'Battle' (from 13 - 1999)

As the 90s came to a close, Blur had moved away from their happy-go-lucky selves.  The party that was the mid-90s Britpop scene had seen itself become exactly what it had been the antithesis to some seven or eight years early.  13, a record that was heavily influenced by singer Damon Albarn's breakup with longtime girlfriend, Elastica's Justine Frischmann (the king and queen of Britpop), is a dark ride.  'Battle' is a heartbreaking seven minute jam, complete with Dave Rowntree's trip-hop inspired drums, spacey keyboards and Sonic Youth inspired guitar freak outs.



'Sing' (from Leisure - 1991)

Very hypnotic is the best way I can describe 'Sing'.  There's a beautiful melancholia at play that is punctuated by the haunting "ahhs" that feature over the crescendo of the song.  It also featured prominently in Danny Boyle's 1996's film Trainspotting.  



'This Is A Low' (from Parklife - 1994)

One of many songs in the Blur catalog that pull at the heartstrings.  'This Is A Low' is in essence the closing track on Parklife ('Lot 105' always felt like an afterthought) and is a fitting bookend to a classic album.  A melancholic vocal delivery in the verses followed by soaring choruses with another Graham Coxon beauty of a solo squeezed in for good measure.  Every time I listen to it, I don't want it to end.



'Oily Water' - (from Modern Life Is Rubbish - 1993)

The first time I heard 'Oily Water' I was (as I often am) listening to it on headphones.  The song opens with a very cool tremolo/delay bit that always had me thinking "how the hell did he do that" as it ping-ponged from ear to ear.  After playing in multiple bands with pedal fiends, I now know that it's easier than I originally thought.  Still, I could listen to that opening bit over and over.  Thankfully, the rest of the song is equally cool.



'Charmless Man' (from The Great Escape - 1995)

Like 'Tracy Jacks' before it, 'Charmless Man' is another bouncy number that is heavy on the witty lyrics about everything from wine ("he knows his Claret from his Beaujolais") to lifestyle choices ("he knows the swingers and their cavalry").  Capped off with some ridiculously catchy "na na nas", 'Charmless Man' is Blur at their Britpop pinnacle.



'Advert' (from Modern Life Is Rubbish - 1993)

A sample stating "food processors are great" leads into a plinkly (probably just made up a word there) keyboard loop that bursts into a full on onslaught of overdriven guitars and crashing cymbals and even sirens and other noises.  Try to resist jumping around in pure exhilaration.



'Beetlebum' (from Blur - 1997)

The first single from Blur's fifth album, 'Beetlebum' has a sort of hungover feel to it, which isn't surprising.  The Britpop scene had reached its apex and its excesses had taken their toll on the band.  'Beetlebum', although different from their Parklife era sound, was also quintessentially Blur.  Whether it's Coxon's stuttered guitar in the verses, the Beatles-esque chorus or the emotional qualities found in the song's instrumental outro (my favourite part of the song), 'Beetlebum' is a classic.



* Honourable mention should go to 'Under The Westway', which I think is a great addition but I just felt was too new to make the list.  Maybe if I do this again in ten years, it might be there.

Thanks for reading!

Who The F#@k Is Jake Bugg?

If you're going to see Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds and Snow Patrol this fall on their latest North American swing, you may want to get to the venue early to catch Jake Bugg.  Who the hell is Jake Bugg I hear you ask?

Jake Bugg is a singer/songwriter from Nottingham, England who play a no-nonsense brand of rhythm and blues inspired rock n' roll.   One listen to his songs and you will most certainly hear more than a few tinges of Bob Dylan and Johnny Cash.  But don't let that be the sole basis of judgement.  After repeated listens to his first four singles 'Trouble Town', 'Country Song', 'Lightning Bolt' and 'Taste It', the most striking thing is how adept a lyricist Bugg is.  Write about what you know they say and you can tell he is doing just that.  Oh, and did I mention he's only eighteen and he's already played the Glastonbury Festival.

Below you'll find a couple of samplings of his style.  Jake Bugg's debut album is scheduled for release on October 22nd via Mercury Records.





Thanks for reading!

Settle Down, It's New No Doubt

As a fan of No Doubt, I've been anxiously waiting for new music from the SoCal quartet.  With a new record Push And Shove slated for release on September 25th, it was only a matter of time before the album's first single was released.  Well, today No Doubt unleashed debuted the first single 'Settle Down'.   Eleven years is a long time to wait for a band to release new music and this has not been without its fair share of hype.

My only question is: was it overhyped?  Return Of Saturn, the follow up to 1995's Tragic Kingdom (the album that put No Doubt on the map), was five years in the making, and while it contains a few of my favourite ND tunes, it sounds like a band trying too hard to live up to their new stature.  They  followed Saturn up quickly with Rock Steady the following year.  One could argue that Rock Steady is their most cohesive body of work.  In fact, I will.  So, perhaps, they are a band who produce their best stuff when working quickly?

My biggest fear was that new No Doubt would sound like another Gwen Stefani solo record.  Thankfully, 'Settle Down' doesn't...for the most part.  It has the band's trademark ska/pop/rock sound and while it's not what I was hoping for/expecting from a "comeback" single, it is nice to have them back on the musical landscape.  It's a song made for summer and will sound great on my balcony while I down margaritas.  Check it out for yourself below.  Thanks for reading.

Bloc Party Stutter Back Into The Light

I wasn't sure what to expect when news of a new Bloc Party record surfaced.  I had loved their debut Silent Alarm, have a like/hate relationship with A Weekend In The City and just didn't get the direction they took with Intimacy (but I think it's due for a re-visit).  Today, the first single from the band's upcoming album Four was released.  The track is called 'Octopus' and I must say, I wasn't immediately grabbed, but I've been listening to it most of the day and it's growing on me.  Jangly stuttered guitar over a driving beat and falsetto vocals give way to a super catchy chorus complete with "ooh ooh" backing vocals.  Not sure about the guitar "solo" though.  But the real question is: does anyone else think it looks weird seeing Kele Okereke wearing a baseball cap?



Thanks for reading!

Blur Debut Two New Songs

If you are a fan of Britpop, today is a wonderful day.  A (somewhat) recently reunited Blur took to an anonymous London rooftop to perform two new songs, especially written for their upcoming gig closing the London olympics.  The first, 'Under The Westway' is a beautiful, mournful ballad that reminds me of 'Best Days' off of 1995's The Great Escape.

The second one, entitled 'The Puritan' is a bouncy little number which also wouldn't have sounded out of place on any of the Britpop Trilogy (1993's Modern Life Is Rubbish, 1994's Parklife and the aforementioned The Great Escape).  It's quintessential Blur and I wouldn't have it any other way.  Both tracks are available for download on iTunes at this very moment and a limited edition 7" is available for pre-order (to be released on August 6th) here.

Thanks for reading.

Canadian Bacon

If you stop by periodically (or daily - wink wink, nudge nudge) you know that I write (read: ramble) a lot about bands that are predominantly British.  It's just my musical DNA I suppose.  Well, today is Canada Day here in the Great White North and I thought I'd share with you some of my favourite songs by Canadian artists.  While compiling these ten tracks, I realized it would be virtually impossible for me to narrow the list down to just ten, so think of this as the tip of the iceberg.  It also goes to show that Canada is more than just Justin Bieber and Theory Of A Nickelfault.

The Stills - 'Still In Love Song' (2003)

Odds - 'Make You Mad' (1996)

Metric - 'Monster Hospital' (2005)

Sloan - 'People Of The Sky' (1994)

Limblifter - 'Tinfoil' (1996)

Pluto 'When She Was Happy' (1996)

The Grapes Of Wrath - 'I Am Here' (1991)

The Inbreds - 'Any Sense Of Time' (1994)

Tristan Psionic - 'Promise' (2000)

The Gandharvas - 'The First Day Of Spring' (1995)

Thanks for reading!

The Second Second Coming

If you're like me, you like a good bit of British comedy.  Here's a great caricature of some of Britpop's most recognizable icons.  Enjoy!

New Sounds For A Split Personality

I'm always on the hunt for new sounds, but I sometimes find it difficult to discover new music.  It's not physically hard for me to discover new music, not with this little invention known as the internet.  No, difficult in the sense that I have tastes that are a lot like russian roulette.  I never know what I'm going to be into tomorrow.

Have you ever gone through a phase where you're into listening to a band or a type of band or a particular genre, and you a hear a new song that you should like, but it doesn't immediately grab you, but when you rediscover it (so to speak) at a later date, it's like a auditory epiphany?  That's me and music discovery in a nutshell.  My musical choices are very much driven by my mood, time of day, weather, etc.  For example, if it's late in the evening and I'm trying to wind down, I might be in a, oh I don't know...Massive Attack sort of mood.  If I'm surfing around and discover a band who is the second coming of Led Zeppelin, I'm probably going to listen to their song (or part of their song) and move along.  When I discover something that's in line with what my brain says is a-okay, it can be life changing.  Seriously.  Other times, it's just right time, right place to discover a new tune that moves me, for whatever reason.  

Tonight, I stumbled upon a band named Broken Hands and, in particular, their song 'If You Need To Lie'.  Now, I couldn't say that their sound was what I was on the prowl for, but when the drum fill kicks in, I was definitely curious.  By the first chorus, I was hooked.  It's a sound that I can best describe as a slab of early Black Rebel Motorcycle Club meets catchy-as-fuck.  It's a definite improvement over having the theme song for Jake and the Neverland Pirates stuck in my head, but don't worry about that.  Check it out for yourself:

Digital vs. Physical Music Collections: A Rant Of Sorts

Why are some albums on iTunes only available in certain regions or certain iTunes "stores"?  How frustrating!  A while back I was on the hunt for the very awesome debut record from Miles Kane, The Colour Of The Trap.  You might remember him from his partnership with Arctic Monkeys' frontman Alex Turner as The Last Shadow Puppets.  His record has been out in the UK since May of last year.  Sure, I can stream it on Grooveshark, or torrent it , but I'm old-school (everyone always says "just torrent stuff".  I've never done it, so I feel it's the equivalent of saying "just speak swahili" to someone who only speaks english.  Is there a Rosetta Stone to learn to torrent?).  I like to properly buy my music (generally).  I like collecting music and, until not long ago, the packaging that said music came in.

Recently (okay, it was a little over two and a half years ago), I made the switch from CDs to a digital catalogue.  At first, I was staunchly against it.  I had spent the better part of twenty years acquiring music on CD (a large majority of it was bought twice after a former roommate turned crackhead ransacked my collection and pawned it).  I prided myself on my huge collection of music and that it was all alphabetized by artist and organized chronologically by release date.  I've always been a fan of buying a record (the word "record" will hereby refer to CDs for the most part - it just sounds better) and ripping the wrapping off of it, and listening to it while thumbing through the liner notes.  I even like the smell of brand new liner notes.  It's all part of the experience.  What can I say, I'm a music geek and I celebrate it!

When my wife and I were expecting our first child, I had originally planned to just move the record collection from the spare bedroom in our apartment to the living room in preparation for our son's arrival.  Long story short, that didn't happen.  The record collection as I knew it was being shelved (or more specifically, boxed up).

Fast forward two years and I've adjusted to digital life, for the most part.  Of course, there are certain aspects of a physical collection that I miss; the foremost being the experience of actually buying music.  There really is nothing like walking into a record store (or even better, a used record store) and thumbing through CDs and vinyl for that missing piece of the collection or rare single from yesteryear, while tunes play on the store's stereo.  When I was younger, my friends knew I loved these aspects of "the hunt" and when the movie adaptation of Nick Hornby's High Fidelity came out, they were convinced I was going to end up like John Cusack's character later in life (or Joe from Empire Records) and own a record store.  That hasn't happened...yet.

I have far less time these days to spend hours upon hours searching through music store bins.  For that reason, I have come to, for lack of a better word, enjoy shopping for music online.  Maybe tolerate is more apropos.  In any event, I also like that I can buy the one song from some long forgotten one hit wonder.  But it frustrates me to no end that when I want to spend money and support an artist, their catalogue (or parts of it) aren't available in my country.  If I can order a hard copy and they'll send it to me from wherever, why isn't it the same for digital purchases?

I understand why there's a Record Store Day.  It's for those people that still enjoy "the hunt".  It's for people that like to physically buy a piece of history.  It's for people that like to buy albums because they like the album cover, having never heard a note of the music held within it.  Let's face it, a record store is a cool place to hang out!  It's a sort of home away from home and it's always welcoming, regardless of how fucked up you might be.

While I've physically moved my music collection in a different direction, there will always be a part of me that loves a physical, tactile item, be it cool coloured vinyl or a CD.  One day I'll have the room again (and the time) to proudly display my collection.  Naturally, I'll have a few pieces to buy to replace my digital copies.  A small price to pay for auditory bliss.

Thanks for reading.

Showing A Little Love For: The Stone Roses

The Stone Roses are a band I've always loved.  Their eponymous debut album, released in 1989, is frequently mentioned as one of the classic British records of the last 25 years.  Their story is one fit for a Behind The Music episode, complete with supreme highs and lows, record label squabbling, drug problems, the difficult sophomore album, founding members leaving and the inevitable breakup.  They've buried the hatchet (somewhat?) and have kicked off a tour that includes some monstrous gigs in the UK and Europe this summer (sadly nothing on this side of the Atlantic, but I'm used to that).

I was too young at the time of its initial release.  My first experience with The Roses came in the mid-90s during the Britpop period that spawned Oasis, Blur, Pulp, Suede and many others.  Being the anglophile (especially when it comes to music) that I am, I absorbed anything and everything to do with that "scene".  You have to remember that this was before a little invention known as the internet, so my primary source of information was magazines such as Vox, Select, NME, and Q.  These magazines weren't cheap (and still aren't, but are well worth it on most occasions) and initially I had to travel from my parents suburban home to all corners of the city (Ottawa, in case you were wondering), to procure these periodicals.  One of the bands that was continually mentioned, as an inspiration to many of the Britpop era bands I was listening to, was The Stone Roses.  I had to know what they sounded like!

Today it's easy to know everything about a band (or anything for that matter), including what they sound like, within seconds of hearing about them.  In the not so distant past of 1995/96 it really was a scavenger hunt to find certain records.  I tried all my usual haunts (both new and used "record" stores) until I finally found The Roses debut album as an import for some exorbitant amount of money.  Of course, I had been on the hunt for this record for what felt like months by that point so I probably would've given my left arm for it had I needed to.



The record itself was dazzling, combining the dance oriented grooves of late 80s house music with the chiming guitars and pop melodies of 60s groups like The Byrds.  As soon as the slow building swagger of "I Wanna Be Adored" kicked off, I was hooked.  As one song led into another, I had that weird "I swear I've heard these songs before even though they're brand new" connection with the music.  "She Bangs The Drums", "Waterfall", "Bye Bye Badman", "Made Of Stone", and "This Is The One" are all classics.

I had my iTunes on shuffle the other day and "I Am The Resurrection" came on.  Cue the instant flashback to my late teens.  Sure, the first half of the song is a great slice of guitar-pop, but the genius of the song kicks in at the 3:39 mark.  The bass line gets funky and the band (with the exception of singer Ian Brown) get to jam the record to its conclusion ("Fools Gold" wasn't on the original release but was added as the last track on subsequent re-releases).  I still get shivers listening to this record, some 16 years after first hearing it.  Pure brilliance.

Thanks for reading.

A Return To Pumpkinland?

I've been in a Smashing Pumpkins sort of mood these last few days.  The band are set to release album number eight on June 19th.  Oceania is an album within the mammoth 44 song concept album Teargarden By Kaleidyscope.  

Probably my favourite song off of the self-released Teargarden is a song called 'Owata'.  I should clerify.  The live version you find below, is my favourite song.  The version that ended up being officially released lacked the edge this live version brings to the table.



Bassist (and all-around babe) Nicole Fiorentino had this to say about Oceania:
"I think we delved into new territory for sure, but what I love about this record is that it has that familiar old-school Pumpkins feel to it, with a modern twist. The cool thing is he was able to capture the energy of the old material without ripping it off. Billy's definitely found his way back to whatever he was tapping into when writing Gish and Siamese Dream".  

So more psychedelic spaced-out rockers like 'Starla' then?



The Pumpkins have been actively performing songs from the new album live over the past six months.  Here are a few of my favourites from what I've heard so far.

'Quasar':




'Pinwheels':

Showing A Little Love For: Sloan

Hailed as Canada's answer to Nirvana and all things grunge, Sloan shot out of the underground in 1992 with their debut album Smeared which featured future classics "Underwhelmed", "500  Up", "I Am The Cancer" and more.  Fast forward two years and Sloan had moved away from the noisy, feedback drenched sound of their debut and had embraced a more classic pop sound (although the pop songs were always there on Smeared, they were just disguised a bit).  1994's Twice Removed is consistently hailed as a one of the best Canadian records of all time, and rightfully so.



My first memories of Sloan are a little hazy.  I moved to Europe in the fall of 1992 and wasn't aware of their meteoric rise on the Canadian music scene. When I returned to North American shores a few years later I was fully immersed in the burgeoning Britpop scene that was coming out of England.  Even still, I remember seeing the video for "Coax Me" and thinking it was a great song.  The same can be said for "People Of The Sky", with the half sung, half spoken vocal delivery of drummer Andrew Scott.  In a landscape of post-grunge, post-Nirvana clone bands, the songs really jumped out.

The follow-up to Twice Removed arrived in the form of 1996's One Chord To Another, a  contemporary throwback pop/rock record (does that make sense?).  It wasn't until early 1997 that I became a full fledged Sloan fan.  Something just clicked and I got it.



It was around this time that I became really interested in independent record labels and, to my delight, I discovered that Sloan had their own label, murderecords.  Originally created to release their debut EP, Peppermint in 1991, Sloan had resurrected the imprint after their subsequent split from DGC (who released Smeared and Twice Removed).

Another intriguing aspect of the band is that they're all songwriters.  Listening to their records for the first time is always interesting as you're never sure who's song is up next or which member will have the most songs on the record.  For the most part they divvy up the songs in equal parts, but there have been anomalies.  In concert, watching them switch instruments so every member has the opportunity to take centre stage is something to see.

Some of my favourite memories ever involve Sloan shows.  The first time I saw the band live was at Edgefest '98 (a huge outdoor travelling festival).  There was a signing tent where fans could line up and select bands would make appearances and meet and greet with fans.  Much to my dismay, Sloan were scheduled in the tent at the same time Foo Fighters were on stage.  Suffice it to say, the line wasn't moving as fast as I would have liked and I began screaming at the top of my lungs "Get out, get out, get out" along to the Foos tune "Alone + Easy Target".  Yes, I was that guy.  Everyone in line ahead of me does a one-eighty and I even managed to draw the attention of a couple of the Sloan guys.  Woops.



Then, in 2001, at Barrymore's in Ottawa, the band were touring in support of Pretty Together.  I'm standing watching The Dears (how awesome is that for a opening band?) and look to my left and there, standing right beside me, is Sloan drummer Andrew Scott, taking it all in.  Being the fan that I am, I figure I'll never get another chance to ask him a question again.  Now, everybody always thinks "If I could only ask so-and-so one question, it would be (insert question here)".  When, on a seconds notice, you find youself in that situation, sometimes the results are less than stellar, as was my choice.  The drummer for The Dears is tearing shit up on stage and I turn to Andrew and think I'm asking a pretty "cool" question, not the usual drivel.   "Hey Andrew, how's it goin'?  Question for you: in a drum battle between you and George, who do you think would win?".  Andrew raises an eyebrow and very matter-of-factly states "Are you watching this, he'd fucking kick my ass!".  Better luck next time, I guess.

Thanks for reading.

Battle Born With Bonfires

The Killers have released a teaser trailer for their upcoming fourth record, now officially known as Battle Born.  It offers up very little of what the record might sound like, other than the classic synth sounds the band has used in the past.   It does, however, suggest that the members of the band like to get together and catch up at raging bonfires.  See what I mean: